North Cambridge Catholic High School will move into the former St. William Grammar School on Savin Hill Avenue next year, the Reporter learned today. The high school has been engaged in on-again, off-again negotiations with the Archdiocese of Boston and local church officials since early 2009. The school building, which has been largely dormant since the former St. William school closed two years ago, will be sold to the high school for $1.2 million.

The Reporter first reported on the possibility of a sale last fall. A deal appeared to be imminent in September, but fell apart at the last moment. North Cambridge Catholic is a member of the Cristo Rey Network of Catholic preparatory high schools that serve low-income students. Most of the high school's students live in Boston. The school will be re-named Cristo Rey Boston as it moves to Dorchester next September.

Rev. Jack Ahern, pastor of Blessed Mother Teresa parish, which includes the old St. William’s Parish, called news of the deal "exciting."

"Cristo Rey Boston moving to Savin Hill continues the legacy of St. William's Parish," Ahern said.

The Savin Hill site, currently being used as storage space, has other bonuses, according to high school officials: it’s around the corner from the Savin Hill MBTA stop while the nearest MBTA station for North Cambridge Catholic is Davis Square. A Savin Hill location would greatly reduce the commute for 70 percent of the students, many of whom are from Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.

Developing news. Watch DotNews.com for further developments.